800 



ON A COLLECTION OF MAMMALS BROUGHT HOME BY 

 THE TIBET FRONTIER COMMISSION. 



BY 



J. Lewis Bonhote, m.a., fj,.s., f.z.s. 



(Received August 9, 1905.) 



(' Text-figures 52 & 53.) 



{Extract from the Proceedings of the Zoological Society of London, 1905, 



Vol. II., p. 302.) 



The collectionf of mammals brought home by the Tibet Mission, and 

 collected by Captain H. J. Walton of the Indian Medical Service, although 

 not large in numbers contains several specimens of great interest, and there 

 can be no doubt but that the region is full of mammalian treasures only 

 waiting time and opportunity for their discovery. 



Of the eight species of which examples were brought back, two — Microtun 

 waltoni and Cricetulus lama — are new to science, while the large red Fox of the 

 country is sufficiently distinct to be entitled to subspecific rank. In addition 

 to these, I have been enabled for the first time to examine the skull of 

 another Fox, Vulpes ferrilatus, described 63 years ago, but of which the skull- 

 characters have hitherto remained entirely unknown. This skull shows 

 features of great peculiarity, and proves the validity of ferrilatus as a species, a 

 matter hitherto considered doubtful by some writers. 



In addition to the specimens collected by Captain Walton, the British 

 Museum is indebted to Col. Waddell for two or three skins, an account of 

 which has also been incorporated in this paper. 



Felis manul Pall. 



Felis manul Pall. Reise Russ. Reichs, III., p. 692 (1776) ; Blanf., Faun. Br 

 Ind., Mamm., p. 83 (1891). 



a. $. Yamdok Lake, alt. 15,000', 28th Sept. 1904. 



This specimen, the only one procured, was brought home by Col. WaddelL 



Vulpes vulpes waddelli. 



Vulpes vulpes waddelli Bonhote, Abstr. P. Z. S. No. 22, p. 14, Nov. 21, 1905. 



a. Khamba Jong, alt. 16,400', 8th Oct. 1903. 



b. Phari Jong, Upper Chumbi Valley, 11th Jan. 1904 {coll. Waddell). 

 General colour above reddish-fulvous, the median dorsal area from the 



occiput to the root of the tail being bright red, shading to pale buff on the 

 flanks and hindquarters. The head rufous ; the ears moderately large and 

 pointed, being clothed with long white hairs on the inside and short black ones 

 externally. Feet rufous along their margins and white or grey in the centre. 

 Tail long, woolly, and very bushy, tipped with white ; each hair being pale 



* Text-figures not reproduced. 



t A aketch-m ip giving all the localities in which this collecton was procured is published 

 in The Ibis (1905), p. 57, pi. ii.) 



